A winding-sheet for England's ministry which hath a name to live, but is dead sent to John Owen, called Dr. in that ministry, and late vice-chancellor of Oxford, and is in answer to his printed paper concerning tythes : or, an examination of those scriptures by which he seems to prove, that the publike maintenance for preachers of the Gospel by way of tythes, is a gospel-maintenance, but upon examination thereof by the scriptures, he is found to be a subverter of them, and, that tythes is no lawful maintenance for gospel-ministers.

A winding-sheet for England's ministry which hath a name to live, but is dead sent to John Owen, called Dr. in that ministry, and late vice-chancellor of Oxford, and is in answer to his printed paper concerning tythes : or, an examination of those scriptures by which he seems to prove, that the publike maintenance for preachers of the Gospel by way of tythes, is a gospel-maintenance, but upon examination thereof by the scriptures, he is found to be a subverter of them, and, that tythes is no lawful maintenance for gospel-ministers.

Table of contents

A VVinding-Sheet FOR ENGLAND'S MINISTRY Which hath a Name to live, but is dead. SENT TO John Owen, called Dr. in that Ministry, and late Vice-Chancellor of Oxford. And is in ANSWER to his Printed Paper concerning TYTHES.

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A VVinding-Sheet FOR ENGLAND'S MINISTRY Which hath a Name to live, but is dead.
SENT TO John Owen, called Dr. in that Ministry, and late Vice-Chancellor of Oxford. And is in ANSWER to his Printed Paper concerning TYTHES.

OR, An Examination of those Scriptures by which he seems to to prove,That the publike Maintenance for Preachers of the Gospel by way of Tythes, is a Gospel-Maintenance. But upon examination thereof by the Scriptures, he is found to be a subverter of them, and, That Tythes is no lawful maintenance for Gospel-Ministers.

FRIEND,

I Have lately perused thy printed paper concerning the power of the Supreme Magistrate about Religion, and the Worship of God; as also, concerning Tithes: all which thou hast proposed in three Questions, and (as thou saist) resolved. Now let me tell thee, 'tis no difficult thing for any man to propound his own questions (as thou hast done, waving another mans) and then answer them. My purpose is at this time to speake to that onely which concerneth Tithes, and to examine thy proofs which thou thy self hast quoted on their behalf, and which is so much (by the Ministry of England) contended for; that rather then they will not have upheld, and fully exact from those who in conscience cannot pay them, they have not onely [...]oiled people of their goods, and often taken ten times more then the Tithes [...] but a [...] their bodies into prison, where many of them have [...] [Page] their [...]mony against themby death. But surely where such cruelty [...] hath been exercised, and too often used upon tender Consciences, or upon men supposed to disrespect the publick Preachers of the Gospel, upon the account of their maintenance, for food and raiment convenient for them for preaching, they had need be upon infallible grounds, First, That they are true Ministers of Christ Jesus, sent forth by him to preach the everlasting Gospel. Secondly, That their lives and practices are agreeable to the Gospel Ministers in the primitive times; and Thirdly, that Tithes are the undoubted maintenance for such Ministers, before ever they should have proceeded to the imprisonment of mens bodies, and forcing from them their estates, for not paying of them; and if you cannot all manifest your selves by these things, then give me leave to tll you all, you are deceivers, and not Gospel-preachers, and the Lord will require the blood of the innocent at your hands. But I shal come to the question propounded by thee, and examine thy proofs for tythes.

Question, Whether it be convenient, that the present way of the maintenance of Ministers or Preachers of the Gospel be removed and taken away, or changed into some other provision.

Which Queflion thou hast in eight particular answered, and towards the close of thy Answer saiest; That to take away the publick maintenance, viz. the Tithes, provided, as thou saist, in the providence of God for the publick dispensers of the Gospel, upon pretences of present inconvenience, or promises of future provision, is a contempt of the care and faithfulness of God towards his Church, aud is in plain terms down-right robbery. And further thou saist, that to entitle a Nation unto such an action, by imposing it on them without their consent, is down-right oppression.

1. I shall first speak to the Question propounded, and in answer thereunto, do positively affirm, and say contrarily, That the present way of maintenance for Ministers by Tithes, is not onely a great oppression, and intollerable in a Christian Common-wealth, or amongst men professing Christ Jesus to be their King, Priest, and Prophet, but also Antichristian, and contrary to the maintenance and practice of Gospel-ministers: And that not to remove such an oppression, were little less, in plain English, then direct robbery, or to uphold wickedness by a Law, God having appointed no such maintenance for Gospel-preachers, but is a maintenance, as you may read, set up by Pope Gregory the tenth, in the year 1211. and not by Christ, nor was it ever practised by the Apostles or Disciples of Christ in the primitive times: And Cook in the third part of his Institutes also testifies, that Tenths and First-fruits are but a late Innovation, aud claimed by the Pope as Successor to the Jewish High-priest: and Doctor Seamor, one of your own Divines confessed before the Committee of Parliament, in the year 1653. that their Call to the ministry had its [...] first rise from the Pope of Rome; it follows then, your maintenance must be from thence also.

Now that Tithes is an oppression and an unrighteous thing, examine the sufferings of diverse of the Mattyrs in Queen Maries daies, recorded by Fox in his Acts and Monuments, as John Wickliffe, Walter Brute, William Thorp, and others, who suffered in flames for their testimony against Tithes: And that this Age is not without a faithful testimony. See the sufferings of the Christians until death in our daies; as Thomas Bromby, John Cason, William Sykes, William Tucker, Stephen Yaton, Arnold Trueblood, William Serjeant, and others, who in several Goals of this Nation finished their testimony also against Tithes, by suffering imprisonment until death, and thousands by spoiling of their goods▪ Who is there almost that i but sober amongst is, or that dares approve himself to be a Christian, but hath, or will give his testimony against Tithes, and say, 'tis a burthen intollerable to be born by all that [...]

[Page] But because I desire that the truth may prevail, and that it may be made manifest to all that have but a seeing eye, or a hearing ear; I shall examine the strength of thy proofs by those very Scriptures which thou hast quoted to prove Tithes a fit maintenance for the publick dispensers of the Gospell.

Thy first proof is 1 Cor. 9. 4. in which place the Apostle saith, They that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. Now I appeal to all indifferent men, that do not suffer the thick vail of false Doctrine to remain as scales upon their eies, whether this text pleads for a maintenance by Tithes, or no: If thou hadst known what it is to live of the Gospel, thou wouldst have cried out against the oppresiing of tender consciences to maintain thee, and not have cried out to the civil power, for fear that the oppression should be removed. FRIEND! Is forcing from people the tenth part of their hard labour and estates, to maintain your generation in pride, idleness, and fulness of bread, a living of the Gospel? If this be to live of the Cospel, 'tis a life the Apostles and true Ministers of Christ never lived, nor their Lord and Master never commanded; who when he sent forth his Disciples to preach, charged them not to take any thing for their journey, nor two coats, no scrip, no bread, nor any mony in their purses, Mark 6. 8, 9. But now you are so far from observing Christs doctrine, and his commands, that your generation walk quite contrary: for instead of going forth without provision, you will not go forth unless it be well assured unto you before-hand. The true laborers in Christs Vineyard, I say, never contracted for a settled maintenance, nor divined for money, as you do; but as they had freely received, so they freely gave, and when they had done Christs work, received Christs wages, but not compelled peoples estates from them, nor for being unwilling to part with it, cast their bodies into prison, as many of you have done. Now Friend, because thou art ignorant of Christs doctrine, and of the Gospel-ministers maintenance, as also of the Apostles words before by thee quoted, I shall let thee know, that to live of the Gospel, is to receive what is freely administred unto thee: Or thus: The true Ministers of the Gospel first plant a Vineyard, and then partake of the fruit thereof: Or thus, They receive temporal hings of those to whom they sow spiritual things, 1 Cor. 9. 11. Yet (lest any should be mistaken, as though the Apostle would be so mainteined) the Apostle saith, I have used none of these things, neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me, vers. 15. By which thou feest plainly, that the Apostle and true Minister of the Gospel, was no mercenary Preacher nor hireling, but freely as he had received, so he freely gave: he was so far from compelling any to maintain him for preaching, as your fraternity do, that he denied his Christian liberty, and wrought with his hands: I say, Paul sought for no reward from men for preaching the Gospel, as you all do, but saith he, If I do this thing willingly, I have my reward; and what is my reward, saith he, verily this, That when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the Gospel, ver. 18.

Now let all the world of unbelievers see, how contrary the practice of the Ministers of the Church of England is from the true Ministers of Christ, and how chargeable your Gospel is, even so dear hath it been made to some, that it hath cost them their lives in nasty prisons, when as the true Ministers Gospel is without charge, and is freely preached to all that will receive it. And saith the true Prophet, Hoe, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and buy wine and milk without money, and without price: This is the voice of the true Prophets of the Lord, but the false Prophets they look for their gain from their quarters: And even as Troops of Robbers wait for a man, so do they murther in the way by consent, Hosea 6. 9.

Thy next proof for Tithes is this, Gal. 6. 6. the words of the Apostle are these; [Page] Let him that is taught in the Word, communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things. Truly, Friend, wer't not thou wilfully blind, or willingly ignorant, thou wouldst not prodnce this text to prove Tithes a lawful maintenance for Gospel-ministers, but wouldst ingeniously confess, and in singleness of heart say, This is from the text, and Tithes are Antichristian. There needs no other confutation of thee herein, then the aming of the words themselves, which I recommend to thy review, and all mens else who can but read English. Friend, be not deceived, nor do thou any longer endeavour to deceive others: for though thou maist do so, yet the Lord will not be mocked, nor the true Christians deluded by such lines of confusion and palpable darkness, as thou wouldst draw over the minds and the understandings of the civil powers of the earth, who have drunk down error for truth, even as the fishes drink water: and this they and other silly people do, under the specious pretences of your being Ministers of the Gospel, when as in truth the Gospel of Christ you are strangers unto, and so are ignorant of its maintenance. Bee advised by a lover of the truth, to learn wisdom, and no longer to make a trade of the Scriptures; but let the time past, wherein thou hast walked in the vanity of thy mind, contrary unto truth and sound doctrine, suffice; and peradventure the Lord will wink at thy ignorance, and accept of thy repentance; for the Scriptures were not given forth to make a gain of, but to be believed and fulfilled in their season, and they are profitable for instruction, for correction, for reproof, that so the man of God may bee made perfect: which doctrine of perfection you all deny, and so are not found in the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, but out of it, and are strangers and enemies to it.

The third Scripture thou bringest, is Luke 10. 7. where our Lord Jesus Christ in his Commission to his Disciples, commands them to remain in whatsoever house they should enter, eating and drinking such things as they give; for saith he, The laborer is worthy of his hire.

I shall now examine whether you and your fraternity be such as Christ sent forth to labour in his Vinyard, or whether you be not such as beat his servants, (which from time to time he sent forth, and when the Son came, killed him also, that so the Inheritance might be theirs.) First then, Are you Lambs, as the true Ministers of Christ were, verse the third of the same Chapter, (& as the true Ministers of Christ are at this day amongst wolves?) Or are you not the Wolves your selves, sucking the blood, and tearing the flesh of the Lambs, and they do not resist you? Secondly, Are you such as go forth without money in your purses, and without scrip and shoes, saluting no man by the way, as Christs Disciples did? verse 4. Or do you not instead thereof, go forth well accommodated and provided with all these things, and rather then you will stir, be assured of one hundred pounds by the yeer, and seldom less, but often times more? And in your going forth, do you salute no man by the way? Or do you not rather complement with all you know, and court every man in power (who will be lead by you) for Augmentations, Plurarities, or greater livings and preferments then you either want or deserve? Thirdly, Do you say, Peace be to the House whereinto you enter, as the true Ministers of Christ did, and still do? Or do you not insteed thereof, either sit down in your own great Parsonage-Houses, and there Lord it more like Kings in their Palaces, then like despised Ministers of the Gospel? Or if you enter into other mens Houses, whether instead of saying, Peace be unto it, you do not proclaim war, and with Swords, Staves, Bailiffs, or Constables, force your selves in, and take by violence, their goods from them, to satisfie your bellies, and your unsatiable lusts of the tenths of mens labours and estates that owe you nothing, nor receive no spiritual things from you. Fourthly, [Page] Are you such as eat and drink such things as are set before you, as the true Ministers of Christ did, and still do? Or do you not devour Widows Houses, and for a pretence make long prayers? Fifthly: Are you such as are content with your hire? and do you receive it from those onely that set you to labour? Or do you not require pay from those that know you to be Loyterers, and never set you to work? Friends and people, examine the case whether it be not so; if so, they have no title to a Gospel-Maintenance, no more then they can evidence themselves to be Christs Ministers, and which maintenance is no more by Tythes, then they can prove themselves to be Gospel-Preachers, which by their Doctrine and Practice appears they are not.

The fourth Scripture thou bringest to prove Tythes a Gospel-Maintenance, is the 1 Cor. 9. 7. 11. Where the Apostle saith thus, Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charge? who planteth a Vinyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the Milk of the flock? This is thy proof for Tythes: To which I say, thou hast more need to be pittied, then refuted, as being wholly ignorant of the scope of the Apostle in that place; he is so far from exacting a forced maintenance, especially upon the accompt of his Ministry, that he thus reasoneth with the Corinthians, Though [saith he] I be not an Apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you, for the seal of mine Apostleship [saith he] are ye in the Lord, verse the second of the same Chapter; and from thence argueth as before in the seventh verse. Now say I, If you would follow the example of the Apostle, and do as he did, to wit, Sow spiritual things indeed and in truth, and not preach your own imaginations for Christ's Gospel, then should they to whom you sow spiritual things, administer unto you their temporal things, and that as freely too, as you should administer your spiritual things; but if you shall reap where you sow not, as now most of you all do, then must we needs deny you to abide in the Apostles Doctrine, and say you are none of Christs ministers, and deserve none of his maintenance, but are Vsurpers, Hirelings, and no Gospel-ministers, and deserve punishment rather then pay.

The fifth Scripture quoted by thee to prove tythes a Gospel-maintenance, is in the same Chapter, the 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13. verses, Which because I will not repeat, they being all concerning the same Argument before spoken of, I shall refer the perusal of them to the impartial Reader, and he will clearly see those texts are so far from proving tythes a Gospel-maintenance for Gospel-ministers, that the Apostle is direct against a setled maintenance; first, by his Argument in the 9th. verse, where it is said, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn; by which it appears the Ox must tread out the Corn, whose mouth is not to be muzled. Are you such as tread out the Corn? If so, then we shall not allow that your mouths should be muzled, but have food and rayment convenient for you, as the true Ministers of Christ have; and were you such, you would therewith be contented; and of this you need not (nay you would not) doubt; for I never yet saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed beg their bread, as you and your seed have done, the more are you to be pittied. The other Argument is from the Apostles words in the 11. and 12. verses, where he saith, If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things? yet nevertheless saith he we have not ased this power, but suffer all things, least we should hinder the Gospel of Christ. So far was the Apostle from owning a setled maintenance, that you see he denied the lawful use of his Christian liberty; nay, let me say further, A setled maintenance is most unreasonable and unjust for Gospel Ministers, because they are to be obedient alwayes to Christs Commands, and Christs Work is not alwayes in one place, and therefore can have no setled maintenance: I say, his Ministers are to go where [...] [Page] and to be paid where they do their work, sometimes in one City, and sometimes in another, and where they sow, there are they to reap, and not to reap where they sow not; so that we deny you and your setled maintenance to be of Christ, but both are out from Christs way, and therefore cannot pay you the one, nor allow you the other.

The sixth and seventh Scriptures quoted by thee, is in Psal. 2. 8. & Isa. 49. 23. Where in the first, the Prophet David speaking, as I may say, in the person of Christ, (the Lord having in the seventh verse said, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; goes on and) saith, Ask of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession: And as to that place in Isaiah, where the Prophet saith, Kings shall be thy Nursing-fathers, and their Queens thy Nursing-mothers, and they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet, and thou shalt know shat I am the Lord, for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. I say, that neither of these two texts is to the matter of tythes, or maintenance intended by thee; for the one speaks of Christ his being the begotten Son of the Father, and of the greatness of the Sons Dominion, and of his power over the Heathens rage, and over the counsels which the Rulers take against him, and is also a prophesie of their destruction, for saith he, Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron, and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel. And the other text is concerning the Lords owning of the Gentiles, and setting up a Standard to the people; and because the Lord will own them, and bring them in to be his people, which were not his people, therefore it is that Kings shall be their nursing-fathers, and Queens their nursing-mothers, &c. and they shall not be ashamed that wait for him. Friend, hadst thou a discerning in the things of God, thou wouldst have seen also, that part of this prophesie is to be fulfilled upon the oppressors of the children of God, even upon the Hirelings, and those that prey upon the Captives of the Lord, Vers. 25. of the same Chapter; and the Lord saith, He will contend with them that contend with his people, and will save his children; and they that oppress them shall eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunken with their own blood, and all flesh shall knew that God is the Saviour and Redeemer of his people, even the holy one of Iacob: Ver. 26. And now let the wise in heart judge whether these Scriptures hitherto quoted by thee, speak any thing as to the maintenance of Ministers by tythes, or not.

The eighth and ninth places to prove the publike maintenance by way of tythes, to be a fit maintenance for publike dispensers of the Gospel, are these, Gen. 14. 20. Heb 7. 4, 5. and 1 Cor. 9. 14. To the two first which speak of Abraham's paying the tenth of the spoils to Melchisedeck, and also of Levi's receiving of tythes, is nothing at all to the maintenance of Gospel-Dispensers, for which end thou quotest them: And without controversie that Priesthood is changed, for it made nothing perfect; and another priesthood is arisen, who is made not after the Law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life, who hath put an end to the first priesthood, and consequently to tythes also, and to the Doctrine of all such Hirelings as will not preach without gifts and rewards. The other text being the 1 Cor. 9 14. which saith, they that preach the Gospel, should live of tbe Gospel, hath been largely spoken to already; and therefore I shall conclude, and tell thee, that thou hast proved nothing by Scripture, that tythes is a Gospel-maintenance, or that the dispensers thereof are to be afforded tythes by way of maintenance for preaching the Gospel.

It now remains to make it appear as well to thee, as to all men else, that you (who call your selves Ministers of the Chnrch of England) are neither Ministers [...], nor of the Spirit; and if so, I shall leave wise men to judge whether [Page] you deserve to be maintained and upheld as Ministers of the Gospel, yea or no.

First then, I say, you are not true Ministers of the Letter, inasmuch as you preach contrary thereunto, & that I shall instance in these particulars following; As first, you say, that the holy Law of God cannot be kept by the best of Saints while they live upon earth. Which doctrine is contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures, and to the experiences of the Saints recorded therein: for David said that he had kept them; Psal. 119. 166, 167, 198, verses. And St. John saith, That hereby shall the Saints know that they know him; to wit, if they keep his commandements, 1 Joh 2. 3. intimating, that he that doth not keep the commandements of God, doth not know him: and again, He that saith he knoweth God, and keepeth not his commandements, is a liar, and the truth is not in him, vers. 4. What Ministers are you then; that not onely preach contrary to the Letter of the Scripture, but also contrary to the experience of the Saints? Secondly you say there is no perfection to be attained here, and so preach a doctrine contrary to the Letter of the Scriptures, for Christ commanded his Disciples to be perfect, as their heavenly Father is perfect: and the Apostles doctrine was for the perfecting of the Saints; and he said he spake wisdome amongst them that were perfect: this being so, I shall leave all sober men to judge, whether you be true Ministers of the Letter? and yet are so bold as to say, you make the Scriptures your rule. I could clearly instance in many more particulars, that you are no true Ministers of the Letter of the Scriptures, but these are sufficient.

Secondly I affirm, That you are not Ministers of the Spirit neither, of which the Apostles were able Ministers, for you (contrary to the Scriptures, and to the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ) say, That Revelation is ceased: whenas our Saviour himself expressly saith, No man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whom soever the Son will reveal him, Mat. 11. 27. So then its evident enough, that all you who deny Revelation, know neither the Father, nor the Son: whom to know is life eternal, and without the knowledg of whom you cannot know the mind of the Spirit: for the Spirit of the Lord revealeth not the thing of its self to any, but to those that receive the teaching of the Father and the Son; and no man can know the Father and the Son, but by Revelation. So that it appears to all men of a good understanding, that you are neither Ministers of the Spirit, nor of the Letter.

Now since it is thus evident, that you are no Ministers of the Spirit, as the true Ministers were, nor yet true Ministers of the Letter; Whose Ministers may some say, are they? I answer: You are Ministers of Antichrist, and found to be in the doctrine of the Church of Rome; whose belly is your god, whose glory is your shame, who mind earthly things: you are fruitless trees cumbring the ground, and whose end is to be burnt and consumed by the breath of his mouth, and by the brightness of his coming; and this will be your reward and portion without speedy Repentance, and turning from your wickedness, whereby you craftily deceive the simple, and mislead the innocent whom the Lord will teach, for he hath said, His people shall bee all taught of him.

[Page] FRiend, my purpose is not to plead against a Gospel-maintenance for Gospel-Ministers; no, God forbid, for I own both; but to cry out against Tythes, and a forced maintenance, as all men of sobriety and moderation do, and must do if they approve themselves true Christians: I say, the true Worshippers cannot maintain a false Ministry, nor uphold the Temple of Idols, as well knowing they must fall, together with all the Ceremonies and false Doctrine practised and preached in them, and by them: Nor had I been found to discover thy nakedness to the world, hadst thou not so visibly appeared to be cloathed with a shadow, and to be found disowning the Wedding-garment.

And now let me ask thee, and those of your generation and profession, On whose heads, do you think, all the guilt of that blood that hath been shed in England for Tithes within these seven years past, besides the loss of goods and lives of many of the dear servants of the Lord will light, if not on you who plead for, and will have Tithes, and force a maintenance from the servants of God, contrary to their consciences? Do you think to shuffle it off from yourselves, and lay it upon the Civil Magistrates? O no! you cannot (though they are not guiltless herein) the Lord will not be mocked; for you are the men who have robbed the Lord of his honor, and his people of their goods, liberties, and lives, to put into your bellies, and to uphold carnal Ordinances, which perish with the usings and to keep alive your dead Meetings, dead Prayers, dead Preachings, dead Doctrines, dead Fasts, dead Exercises, and dead Ministry.

§

Friends, let me tell you, your foundation it in death, and therefore your dead Structure will fall to the dust, and the house you have built, fall upon your own heads, all the powers of the earth being too weake to uphold it. And that in thy Paper which is not answered herein, is left to another hand to answer, partly because I wanted room in this Sheet, not willing to bestow Sheets upon thee concerning this matter.

Now that I may not leave you without a word of Counsel, I do in love to all your souls admonish yon to come out of Babylon, your Land of Confusion, and where your Language is confounded, and come unto the true fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, and the way to a good understanding in the things of God, and so in time as you be faithful, may you become Gospel-Ministers, and receive Gospel-Maintenance.

By a Member of the true Church, and of that Society which the world calls QVAKERS.

The End.

Information about this book

Title statement

A winding-sheet for England's ministry which hath a name to live, but is dead sent to John Owen, called Dr. in that ministry, and late vice-chancellor of Oxford, and is in answer to his printed paper concerning tythes : or, an examination of those scriptures by which he seems to prove, that the publike maintenance for preachers of the Gospel by way of tythes, is a gospel-maintenance, but upon examination thereof by the scriptures, he is found to be a subverter of them, and, that tythes is no lawful maintenance for gospel-ministers.

Foster, T.

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1658

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Text Creation Partnership,

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2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A40035

ID [STC]

Wing F1637

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ESTC R38887

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

18186031

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ocm 18186031

ID [VID]

106951

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— A winding-sheet for England's ministry which hath a name to live, but is dead sent to John Owen, called Dr. in that ministry, and late vice-chancellor of Oxford, and is in answer to his printed paper concerning tythes : or, an examination of those scriptures by which he seems to prove, that the publike maintenance for preachers of the Gospel by way of tythes, is a gospel-maintenance, but upon examination thereof by the scriptures, he is found to be a subverter of them, and, that tythes is no lawful maintenance for gospel-ministers., Foster, T..

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7, [1] p.

s.n.,. [London? :: 1658/9, i.e. 1659]. (Caption title.) (Attributed to T. Foster by Wing and NUC pre-1956 imprints.) (Signed: By a member of the true church, and of that society which the world calls Quakers.) (Imprint suggested by Wing.) (Imperfect: stained and cropped; best copy available for photographing.) (Reproduction of original in the Huntington Library.)

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Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.